A 130-run onslaught by Jesse Ryder and Brendon McCullum led New Zealand to victory over the West Indies by 36 runs in their Twenty20 match yesterday.
Man-of-the-match Ryder posted 62 and McCullum 59 in a record Twenty20 stand for New Zealand.
It came at a shade under 12 runs an over and ensured a formidable target as New Zealand reached 191 for nine, despite a meltdown after the opening partnership ended.
PHOTO: AP
When the West Indies looked to their talisman Chris Gayle to save the day — after he had dismissed both Ryder and McCullum — they found his usually dependable batting talents were absent.
He was out for one in the second over and the West Indies never came close to the required run rate, finishing at 155 for seven.
■ BANGLADESH V SRI LANKA
AFP, DHAKA
Mahela Jayawardene smashed a solid 129 not out to put Sri Lanka in a winning position on the third day of the opening Test against Bangladesh yesterday.
The Sri Lankan captain hit one six and 15 fours in his 24th Test hundred to help his side post 291-4 in the second innings at stumps for a massive overall lead of 406.
The tourists were in trouble at 18-2 before Jayawardene bolstered the innings with a 135-run stand for the third wicket with Kumar Sangakkara (67) and 138 for the next with Thilan Samaraweera (62).
Paceman Mahbubul Alam struck in the eighth over when he trapped Malinda Warnapura (8) leg before wicket and Mashrafe Mortaza bowled Michael Vandort (6) in the next over.
Jayawardene, 31 years old, and left-handed Sangakkara then kept the Bangladeshi attack at bay with their responsible knocks, batting comfortably against both pace and spin.
The Sri Lankan skipper reached his century in the final session when he hit Alam through mid-wicket for a four.
He punished the bowler again, hitting three successive fours in an over.
Bangladesh got just one wicket in the afternoon session when left-arm spinner Mehrab Hossain had Sangakkara caught behind. The Sri Lankan batsman struck eight fours in his 27th Test half-century.
But there was no respite for the hosts as middle-order batsman Samaraweera gave valuable support to his captain before being bowled by Mortaza off the day’s last delivery.
■ AUSTRALIA V S AFRICA
Score at the close on the third day of the second Test in Melbourne:
• Australia 394 & 4-0
• South Africa 459
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